Mount Kilimanjaro: The Complete Guide To Hiking The Famous Mountain

Everest, the Matterhorn, K2, Denali ... These famous mountains have entered into our collective psyche as towering obstacles that speak to the Earth's scenic glory. To that list you should add Tanzania's Mount Kilimanjaro, the tallest peak on the continent of Africa, and whose name means Mountain of Whiteness. Topping out at 5,895 meters, or 19,340 feet, it may be 10,000 feet less than Mount Everest (which reaches a shade more than 29,000 feet above sea level), but it's a monumental formation. Made up of three cones, and geologically a huge volcano made of ash and rock, it is remarkable for having the largest single-mountain ascent on the planet — it isn't part of any larger range. The sight of it rising like a solitary guard is incredible, its snow-capped peak appearing almost like frosting on a vast, conical cupcake is a sight that global warming might render obsolete in a few decades. 

Mount Kilimanjaro was first summited in the late 1800s, and since adventurers don't need specialized mountaineering equipment or tanks of oxygen to conquer it, it's become a popular climbing destination. But don't let that fool you — getting to the summit is arduous, taking multiple days and insisting that travelers endure a range of conditions throughout. But once there, you'll see it's worth it — the mountain and surrounding national park are a Unesco World Heritage site after all, so enjoying the peak simply requires some sound preparation. Here's a good place to start.

A tour operator is a tour operator, right? In a word, no. This trip requires long days of walking over challenging terrain during conditions that can quickly swap cold with heat, and at high altitudes that makes everything 100 times harder. Sound like something you should take lightly? Of course not. So don't rush picking the operator, after all the journey is dangerous, and it's critical that you go with an outfitter that you are 100% comfortable with. 

Always look for a reputable firm with good employee welfare, a proven safety history, and a healthy success rate — these are the most important aspects when sourcing who you will use as a guide for the quest. A good place to start is this list compiled by Colorado-based International Mountain Explorers Connection, which works directly with the Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project to ensure that those goals are met. The index offers more than 140 agencies around the world that are suitable choices.

There are multiple routes (more on that later) to the summit of Kilimanjaro, and most of them require that hikers finish each day's travails at a campsite. This is pure wilderness, with no mountain retreats or luxury spa sojourns to close out the daily grind, so unless you are a tried-and-tested wilderness warrior, you need to accept that you'll be roughing it. Travelers will likely sleep each evening in tents, an environment that is very not for the needy and that, for the vast majority of us, takes some getting used to. 

Practice what this will feel like beforehand by spending some nights in a tent at home, either indoors or in your backyard — or even better, at a campground. This way, you can see how your sleeping bags measures up, what clothes are most comfortable at night, if you need earplugs and an eye mask to get some slumber, and what laying down in a tent even feels like, all of which are actualities that you should be familiar with before you hit the mountain.

There are few sensations worse for the feet than that of breaking in new shoes. All that rubbing and chafing that mercilessly eats away at the skin to expose raw flesh is enough to make you squirm. While it might seem exciting to celebrate your trip to Africa by unveiling a new pair of hiking boots the night before starting the hike, don't do it. Bring along a pair of fully broken-in boots, preferably along with the socks that you've used to break them in. That way, your feet will feel snug and secure, carefully cosseted by a pair of glove-like footwear that is sturdy enough to withstand some serious battering. 

Almost as important as your shoes is another item — trekking poles. You might associate these contraptions with old people looking to save their dodgy, creaking knees and help with their diminishing sense of balance, but these poles will be a lifesaver on the climb up and down the mountain. They'll help you traverse through the rocky and uneven parts of the mountain, offering some extra stability during your long hiking days. 

The keys to succeeding in this climb are patience, belief, and stamina. That last one might be the most important, since the journey occurs over multiple days, and demands a steady, constant output of power and energy across that time. Conditioning will certainly help in that regard, making the exhausting, low-oxygen walkabouts each day manageable. But any mode of transportation — whether a plane, train, automobile, or your bag of flesh and bones — can't function without fuel. 

Since weight and space are an issue during the adventure, small, high-power energy snacks are a smart choice, as all hikers will need nibbles that can keep them going when all hope seems lost. Don't get overly obsessed with ensuring that the snacks have the peak, Utopian nutritional combination — if there's a time to throw your obsession on low carbs, fats, salt, and sugar out of the window, it would be now — even glucose tablets will do in a pinch. It's amazing what a difference these can make to your stamina.

There's nothing that helps travelers connect more with the locals when they are visiting a place — any place — than speaking the same language. So learn some basic Swahili, a language commonplace throughout East Africa and whose origins can be traced to tongues spoken in sub-Saharan Africa and those brought by Arab traders. The language itself doesn't seem easy at first sight, words are often arranged in long combinations of vowels and consonants that look, and sound, unlike anything most English speakers will recognize. 

But persevere, either with a phrase book or sites like this that provide sound clips to accompany the text. Practice the phrases before you head to Africa, and once there, practice some more. While you're unlikely to become fluent in the process, arming yourself with some words and greetings to use will definitely enamor you to the guides and porters — always a bonus — and soon, you might be swapping stories like old friends.

When nature calls, you'll have to go in nature, at least during the trekking part of each day, with the great outdoors doubling as the great restroom for all. But at camp each night, or at the huts, you have the option of the public toilets. These are foul-smelling wooden huts, not always with a door, where the toilet is actually a hole in the ground, meaning you'll need to squat (expect to feel the blood supply to your legs cut off after a couple of minutes of this) to succeed in your pursuit of an effortless evacuation. 

It's hardly a pleasant place to do something that we are used to doing in maximum comfort, which is why smart trekkers shell out a bit extra for the (relative) luxury of a private toilet. This small lavatory, carried by a porter, comes with its own modest canopy, allowing you some privacy for your most private of missions.

While the spiritually inclined might claim that cleanliness is next to godliness, climbers of Mount Kilimanjaro are more likely to proclaim that cleanliness is next to a successful ascent. It's vital to be hyper-obsessive about hygiene at all times here. You don't need to catch a pesky stomach bug while you're on a barren mountainside, it will ruin your enjoyment, and might even derail the whole adventure. There aren't showers or bathrooms with running water along the way, so bringing some simple supplies will guarantee that you complete the climb feeling fresh (it's all relative) and illness free. 

Among the items that operators most stress are wet wipes (an easy way to refresh yourself with a quick swipe), disinfectant gel, and a reliable antiperspirant, while supplies like facial moisturizer and lip balm (the conditions will dry out your skin/lips in addition to your lungs). A razor, dry shampoo, and anything else to help you feel fresh are also recommended.

The team that accompanies you and your fellow walkers up the mountain comprises guides, cooks, and porters that do the heavy lifting, literally. These porters really do the bulk of the work, carrying your supplies and clothing (and private toilet if you choose this option), letting you concentrate on the climbing. It really is a thankless task — they balance largely packed duffels (filled mostly with your items) on their head — but it doesn't have to go unappreciated. 

Look out for the local crew, talk to them, and most importantly tip them, as they rely on this income for the livelihood of themselves and their families. Most outfitters have guidelines on how much to tip each one, and payment is made in cash, either in U.S. Dollars (preferably with bills that are crisp) or Tanzanian Shillings. These tireless workers deserve the extra income — it's humbling to witness them charging ahead, carrying all the paraphernalia needed to get a bunch of well-off tourists up the mountain, and know they'll get to the bottom to do it all over again for the next herd.